Motion-restraining attachment for vehicles.



J. B. LEwls & H; A. WARD.

MOTION RESTRAININGATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE S.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. 1915.

Patented June 2?, 1916.

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JOHN B. LEWIS AND HEBER A. WARD. OF DENVER. C OLORADO, ASSIG'NOES OFONE- THIRD TO WILLIAM A. LIPSCOMB. OF DENVER, COLORADO.

.[vIOTION-RESTRAINING ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. 1 fatented Jung 2? 1916 Applicationfiled March 17, 1915. Serial No. 14,896.

To all whom it m (17 concern Be it known that we, JOHN B. Lewis andHenna A. \Vnno, citizens of the 'United States, residing at Denver, inthe county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Motion-Restmining Attachments for Vehicles,of which the -t'ollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an appliance for preventing skidding anduncontrolled backward motion of vehicles. and its primary object residesin the provision of a mechanism of simple construction which whenattached to an automobile or other vehicle, may be readily adjusted byan occupant of the same to effectively perform one or above-mentionedfunctions.

An embodiment of our invention is shown in the accompanying drawings inthe various views of which like partsare similarly designated, and inwhich Figure 1 is a plan view of a motor driven vehicle to which ourinvention is applied, Fig. 2, a partially sectional side elevation ofthe same, Fig. 3, a fragmentary section along the line 3-3,' Fig. 1,drawn to an enlarged scale, Fig. 4, a rear elevation of the parts shownin Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow A, and Fig. 5, anenlarged section taken along the line 5-5, Fig. 3.

The vehicle shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings comprises inconnection with the body 2, front and rear axles 3 and i on which theroad wheels 6 and 7 are rotatably mounted.

Our appliance for preventing skidding of the wheels of a vehicle onslippery surfaces and for arresting rearward movement of the same oninclined roads, comprises a drag element which in its preferred form iscomposed of a pair of cooperative members 8. The two drag members aremounted on the rear axle 4 of the vehicle and in connection with anadjustingr'nechanism the operative element-of whichis positioned inproximity to the drivers seat 9 on the vehicle body. i

Each of the drag members 8 comprises "a pegipherally toothed wheel 10which is rotata 1 at tile ends of its divergent members is pivotallyconnected with the axle 4. The wheel -10 has in one of its faces acircular series of ratchet teeth 13 for engagement with a both of the Iadjacent its, wheels.

mounted on a bifurcated arm 12 which spring-controlled pawl 1% which isoperatively disposed in a recess of the arm 12 on which the wheel ismounted. The pawl by engagement with the ratchet teeth, prevents reversemotion of the wheel when the vehicle with which the appliance isconnected, moves rearwardly, thereby adapting-the drag element to impedethe rearward movement of the vehicle by the engagement of the teeth ofthe nonrotatable wheels of its members with the ground. The pivotalconnection of the drag members with the axle L is established throughthe medium of collars 15 which are fixed on the axle. Each of thecollars is composed, of two complementary parts which are connected ,bymeans of bolts to clampingly engage th axle. The collars are eachprovided with a pair of lugs 16 which are spaced to receivcqbetween themthe extremities of the bifurcated arms 12 with which they, arearticulately connected by means of pivot pins 17. Each of the dragmembers 8 is thus pivotally connected with the axle by two collars, theparts being positioned with relation to the axle so that when the armsmove downwardly about their piv otal axes, the wheels at their outerextremities will engage the ground at points rearward of the axle asshown in Fig. 3.

A When under ordinary conditions the services of the motion restrainingappliance arev not required, the drag members are held in an elevatedposition as shown in Fig. 2, and, in broken lines, in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, by means of an adjusting mechanism which as statedhereinbetore includes an operating member in convenient adjacency to thedrivers seat of the vehicle. In the construction shown in the drawings,this operative member consists of a foot lever 18 which is connectedwith the two members 8 by means of a pair ofconvergent rods 19 which areunited at the point of their convergence into a single pod 20 fortheir-connection with the lever. Suitable means such as a ratchettoothedplate 21 shown in Fig. 1, is provided for locking the lever in itsadjusted positions. Each of the rods 19 is rendered longitudinallyresilient by being composed of two lapping partswhich are connected by acoiled spring 22.

When the drag element is in its operative condition in engagement with.the "round as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the

iioot lever 21 is fixed in one of its adjusted posi 'siens en the 21, wierehy to render ment on slippery roads, orfor impeding 5 rearwardmovement of the vehicle on 111- clined surfaces. The springs on the rodsare under these eonditions, of value in absorbing read shocks, andthereby preventing breakage of the parts when theivheels at 10 the endsof the members 8, encounter rocks or other obstructions.

Shoulders 27 on the arms A limit by en? gagement with steps 28 on therespective 00F the downward movement of the arms connecting the armswith a fixed the vehicle by means 01 springs 25,

- e mo e fili'l'lli, held in the raised pol 1 are automatically returned7 nilon When the lever 18 is rev "ascribed our motion-roipniiance 1n thebest form at pres;-

'- us, desire it understood the construction and an 1h nart may hereeortod to of our invention claim.

The drag menibere 8 may, for example, he lightened by the omission ofone of the divergent parts of the arms 12 on which the Wheels 10 aremounted, and the adjusting mechanism must necessarily be "varied inaccordance with the size, character and construction of the vehicle towhich the. invention is applied.

Having thus described our invention what We claim and desire to secureby Letters- Patent is:

Apparatus of the character described con'iprising an arm having meansfor its pivotal connection with a vehicle, a wheel rotatable on the saidarm and having in its side a concentric: Series of ratchet shapeddepressions, and a pawl in a l'eeoas of the arm, engaging saiddepreseions 'lor preventin; rotation of the wheel in one direotion.

In testimony whereof we have ZlillXl'll our signatures in presence oftwo witnesses.

JOHN B. LEWlS. HEBER A. WARD.

ll itnesses C J. Flori-Lannie; L. RHOADES.

